Water appropriation and ecosystem stewardship in the Baja Desert

Resumen:

The UNESCO San Francisco Rock Paintings
polygon within El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve in the Baja
California Peninsula derives its moisture from the North
American monsoon. There, ranchers have depended on the
desert since the 18th century. More recently, the desert has
depended on the environmental stewardship of the ranchers
who have allayed mining exploitation and archaeological
looting. Using a Rapid Assessment Procedure (RAP),
climate data, and geographical information, sustainability
was assessed and foreseeable risks identified, on behalf
of the Reserve. The results showed that the costs of
stewardship were in terms of water appropriation and
livestock herbivory. The socio-ecological system also faced
hydrological risks derived from runoff, high evaporation
rates and climate change. Additional risks stemmed from
the increasing global demand for minerals, including
hydrocarbons, found in the Reserve. These external drivers
could substantially alter the attitudes of the ranchers or the
land tenure. Land abandonment might become possible
as children and women seemed to out-migrate from the
polygon. Solutions were identified based on the supply
and demand for water and should enhance resilience via
watershed management and in-ranch water appropriate
technologies.